Jammu, Nov 4: Asserting that situation has improved considerably for ‘gradual’ revocation of Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) from the state, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday said the decision should not be made a “prestige issue.”
 “There is a significant improvement in the situation as infiltration and other incidents have come down considerably. Time has come to declare some parts of the state as peace areas. It should not be a prestige issue to revoke Disturbed Area Act (DAA) and AFSPA from the state,” Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami, CPI (M) and MLA Kulgam told reporters here.
 The CPI (M) leader said the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) and the state government should review the situation and take decision on gradual revocation of AFSPA. “The withdrawal of AFSPA will be in favour of the country and it will repose confidence among the people of the state who had been suffering from the last two decades,” he said.
 “When the government of India drafted this Act for Jammu and Kashmir in 1990, the situation was quite different. There had been no review on J&K situation since then. The Act was implemented for special situations and the government should take into account the improving situation in the state,” he said.
 He regretted that the repeal of AFSPA was being made a “prestige issue”. “Is AFSPA a symbol of patriotism? It should not be a political issue or gimmick. Let the CCS and the state government sit together and review the situation,” the CPI (M) leader said.
 Tarigami also recalled that he had written a letter to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh in 2007, requesting him to review the situation. “I had written to the Prime Minister, apprising him about the improving situation in Jammu and Kashmir. I demanded gradual revocation of AFSPA from the state. Seven years down the line, no decision has been taken thus far,” he said.
 Taking a dig at the ruling National Conference-Congress coalition government, Tarigami said the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah was “under scanner” and people were keenly “noting down” his “activities”, especially in the aftermath of NC worker Haji Syed Muhammad Yousuf Shah killing.
 “As of now, I am not sure that it is the time to celebrate the performance of this government, which is completing its three years,” he responded in reply to a question about the performance of the ruling coalition.

DEMANDS WITHDRAWAL OF NEW RECRUITMENT POLICY
 Criticizing the new recruitment policy, Tarigami alleged that the policy was yet “another blow” on the job aspiring educated youth, who were already disillusioned by the “anti-youth” policies of the state government.
 “Not much has been done by the successive governments to address the alarming unemployment problem and redress the grievances of the educated youth. The policies and programmes aimed at containing the unemployment by the centre and state governments are quite inadequate and whatever under implementation is not giving satisfactory results,” he alleged.
 Tarigami said it was much “astonishing and unexpected” that instead of pooling resources and exploring possibilities of jobs, the government has resorted to a “much harsh employment policy” providing for reduction in the salaries of intending employees to just 50 per cent and 75 per cent of basic pay for first two and next three years respectively.
 “The policy which has been announced in hurry without consultations at appropriate fora should be withdrawn forthwith and instead the government should come up with a youth friendly policy that could bring out our youth from disillusionment, who have been the worst sufferers,” the CPI (M) leader said.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 4 Nov 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 4 Nov 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 5 Nov 2011 00:00:00 IST